Several members of the Southland’s congressional delegation plan to skip Friday’s inauguration of Donald J. Trump as the President of the United States, it was reported Sunday.
However, California’s newly elected U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris will attend the Trump inauguration, Harris press secretary Tyrone Gayle said.
“The senator definitely will be there,” Gayle said.
The senior California Democrat, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, was undecided as of Sunday, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Feinstein, 83, underwent a heart pacemaker implant operation last week, but has returned to work at the Capitol.
At least 12 Democratic members of Congress from California have said they will skip the event. The state has 55 members in Congress, and all 14 Republicans from this state have said they would not miss it.
One Southland congressman, Rep. Tony Cardenas, told The Times he was struggling with the deference traditionally accorded to a new president, and had not made up his mind whether to attend.
“After much thought, I have decided to stand with John Lewis and not attend the inauguration,” tweeted Rep. Judy Chu, D-San Gabriel Valley, this weekend. She referred to the Georgia congressman, who found himself in Trump’s twitter crosshairs Friday, for having questioned the legitimacy of Trump’s election.
Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside, also tweeted a shot at Trump: “All talk, no action,” he wrote.
Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, tweeted Sunday that she “never contemplated” attending the transfer of power ceremony.
And Saturday, Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, tweeted a broadside at the new president: “Trump — who lost the popular vote — has made a series of racist, sexist and bigoted statements,” he said in an email.
Republican congressional members from California said they had attended Barack Obama’s inaugurations.
No statewide elected official within California government has said they will attend. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, perhaps the state’s biggest Republican name, has not announced plans to go.
This story was updated January 15, 2017 at 8:33 p.m. to include an update on Sen. Kamala Harris’ plans to attend the inauguration.
–City News Service